Draft gear



2 Sheets-.Sheet 1 degli J. E. FORSYTH DRAFT GEAR Filed Nov. 25, `1925 :IIIIMMHUm *III 1111 f Oct. a

Oct. a

DRAFT GEAR Filed Nov.` 23, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ma WFH WN siied or `usual construction an auxiliary Patented Oct. Z5, 19227..

UNIEKE, ,STATES JOSEPH E. FORSYTH,` O CHICAGO, LLIENOIS,4 ASSIGNOR TO MARTIN K. NORTHAM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DRAFT GEAR.

Application filed November gprovide auxiliary means for increasing buffing resistance of standard draft-gear mechanism -of any desired construction. The desired result is attained by` employing in combination .with a draft-gear `of any despring bufferv which is disposed infront of theend of the substructureof the carbody, this auxiliary dejvice coacting ordinarily with the horn-of theflst-andard draw-bar.

The. invention is illustrated iny its preferred'. embodimentoin the accompanying.

. drawings, V:in which- Fig. l represents a vertical sectional view of `the improved draft-gear applied to the substructure of a car ywhich is shown brokeiily; Fig. 2, a broken transverse sectionalview taken asindicated at lneQ of Fig. l; and Fig; 3, a broken plan view of the apparatus with the upper plate spanning the longitudinal members of the .substructure removed.

In the construction illustrated, A, A designate `longitudinal frame members constituting a part of the substructure of a car; A2, an end cross-member which corresponds with or constitutes the end of the substructure; A3, transverse bars connecting the lower edges of the longitudinal members A and A; At, a plate connecting the upper edges of said longitudinal members; A5, a pair of front stops for the draft-gear secured to the inner surfaces of the longitudinal members A and A', AG, a pair of rear stops for the draft-gear secured to the inembers A and A', B, a draft-gear of any desired construction interposed between` the front pair of stops A5 and the rear pair of stops AG, said draft-gear having connected therewith the usual vdraw-bar B', the head of which is provided at its upper portion with a shoulder, or horn, B2; and C, the improved auxiliary bufng device mounted on the substructure in front of the end cross-beam A2 and Vco-acting with the head portion of the draw-bar.

The draft-gear B may be of any desired construction adapted to be introduced within the s ace provided therefor Abetween the intermetiate lungitudinal members A 23,1925. Serial No. 70,802.

A of the substructure of the car-body. 1n the illustration given, the draft-gear :B comprises a pair of spring-holdersl and 2 eontaining springs la and 2a and equipped with spring-followers 1b and 2b. In accord-'fL ance with a wellflrnown construction, a roclmember 3 is introduced between the springfollowers lb and 2b. Thel parts ust described are contained within a yoke l whose front end is connected by a key Swith the;

shank ofthe drawkbar B by lost motion connection, in the usual manner.

The auxiliary buitng device; C, in; the form illustrated, comprises a spring-casing 6 disposed in front of the end cross-beamfi A2y and secured to the depending Vflange thereof by rivets 6a; a vertically` disposed coilspring 7 mounted in the upper lportion of the casing 6; a vertically movable spring follower 8 disposed beneath the spring ,7, said* follower being provided with wedge-sur- .ifaces 8u; and a horizontal ,reciprocable plunger9 disposed below the `follower 8 and provided with wedge-surfaces 92L whichy co-V act with the surfaces 8a.

The casing 6 has a bottoni wall 10,` arear wall 10a, autop wall 10b, and a` front'wall 10C. The front wall is cut away at its lower portion, as indicated at 10d. The spring 7 and the wedge-members may be introduced through the opening thus provided. The parts are held in place by a metal strap l1 which' engages a lug 9b with which the wedgeemember, or plunger, 9 is equipped at its upper side. The strap 11 is secured to the casing 6 by means of bolts lla.

The draw-bar B works freely through a` yoke, or support, 12, in the usual manner.

AThe auxiliary bulling device C .is superposed above the draw-bar, and the wedge-member, or plunger, 9, has a projecting portion 9" which is adapted to be engaged by the horn B2 of the coupler during the bufling operation. i

In the operation of the improved draftgear, the standard, or ordinary, draft-gear B with which the car is equipped operates in the usual manner. That is, when a pull is exerted through the medium of the drawbar, the strain is taken by the springs and friction devices of the draft-gear B; and when a bufling action occurs, the push is .ieldingly opposed by the springswand fricdevices of the draft-gear Bi esisti A* einen' 'by the dief j; 1 the stop in the buftlng operation. In practice,

the standard draft-gear may withstand a.V compression of, say, three hundred thousand i pounds or more; and the yielding resistance may be increased perhaps one-third'by means of the auxiliary buifing device C. It will be understood, of course, that in addition to the resistance offered by thel spring 7, further resistance is offered by the friction betweenthe wedge-members 8 and 9, the friction be- Y tween the wedge-member 9 and the bottoni of the casing 6, and the friction between the Y wedge-member 8 and the rear wall of the cas- ,draft-gear.

'ing 6.

Itwill be understood vfrom theforegoing description that by means ofthe simple eX- pedient described it is possible to enormously increase the buhing resistance of the Moreover, the improved auxiliary boiling device can be readily installed on cars of standard'construction.

The foregoing detailed description has been given -for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom,but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

What l regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

j `l. The combination with the substructure of a car-body and a draft-gear mounted in said substructure and equipped with a drawbar projecting Vbeyond the end of the substructure,rthe projecting end of said draw bar having its upper side equipped with a shoulder, of an auxiliary spring-housing mounted on said substructure anddisposed above said drawbar and having an opening "at its lower front portion, a coil-spring in said housing having a vertical axis, said springl beinginsertable through said opening, and co'-acting wedge-members interposed between said spring and the bottom of said housing, one of said members having a portion adapted to be engaged by said shoulder.

2. The combination with the substructure equipped with a drawbar projecting beyond saidsubstructure and having its projecting end-portion equipped on its upper surface with a horn, of a spring-housing secured-to of a car and aA draftegear mounted therein i said substructure and disposed above the, y

drawbar, said housing having its-front wall provided with'an opening, a coil-spring located inthe upper portion of said housing, wedgesmembers interposed between y said spring and thebottom of-said housing, fthef `lower one ofsaid wedge-members having a projectiona'dapted to be engaged bysaid horn in the bufing operation,andlineans removably secured to said housing and partially projecting over said opening serving to retain said wedge-members in position. i Y JOSEPH E. FORSYTH; v 

